Oil well device



April 2, 1946- E. v. cRowELL OIL WELL DEVICE Filed Deo. 17, 1937 f 2Sheets-Sheet 1 zal/1.

INVENTOR. V. Crau/ell Erd TTORNEY.

April 2, 1946.

v Filed Dec. 17, 1957 E. v. cR'owELL 2,397,472

. OIL WELL DEVICE 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 INV ENT OR. Erd V.' CrowellATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 2, l1946r UNITED sTATEs PATENT ori-*ICE Era v. crutmfnk,can. Application December N0. 180,392

13 Claims.

This invention relates to oil well devices, and particularlyvcontemplates casing packers for controlling gas pressure in flowingwells and for obtaining samples of iluid occurring below predeterminedlevels in the we1l, as well as for numerous other purposes where it isnecessary to seal of! the bore of a well casing and tap the iluid re.sources therebelow.

The general object of my Patents No. Re. 16,577, l

issued March 29, 1927, No. 1,648,377, issued November 8, 1927, and No.1,608,167, issued November 23, 1926, to provide a device for closing olfthe bore of the hole to maintain a predetermined` pressure in the welltherebelow, also comprises an object of the present invention.

Various types vof packing elements have been devised to effect controloi flowing wells which rely upon the weight of a tubing string to expandthe packer at the point at which the seal is to be effected. As suchdevices are very often lowered in the well against the ow of oil or gas,

Y a. by-pass'must be provided for the upwardly moving fluid. It is acommon practice with such devices of the prior art to permit the iiuidto flow not only upwardly around the tubing but also through the entirelength of the tubing. string to the well top.

It is therefore an important object of the pres-` ent invention toprovide a device adapted for facile introduction into a well shaftagainst a. heavy expulsion of oil'or gas upwardly therethroughcomprising a, string of tubing having a bore for the passage of pressurefluid downwardly therethrough but not in the opposite direction providedwith packing means for closing the annular space between the tubing andthe shaft, and having independent vent means to communicate the zoneabove and below the packing means, not only through packing meansexterior of the tubing but also through the tubing to facilitate thelowering of the device through the expelling oil or gas, and carryingmeans actuated by the tubing for anchoring the device at any desiredlevel in the well shaft and incidentally close the vents and open thebore of the tubing string to the passage of oil or gas upwardlytherethrough; thus to divert all the now of oil or gas from passingupwardly through the well shaft to the tubing string.

Another object is the provision of a tubing .string having an expansiblepacker to close the annular area between the tubing and casing in whichthe device is adapted to be lowered in use, in combination with a valveto normally maintain well and a by-pass around said valve adapted to bemade effective after sealing the casing bore.

Another object is to provide a, discharge tubing for use in a. wellshaft comprised of an upper and a lower portion thereof with a singletelescopic scopic contraction of the parts.. to close the ports and openthe bore of the tubing string to the pasy sage of pressure iluidtherethrough.

Another object is to provide a device of the character describedequipped to preserve dry tubing for utilization as a formation tester,but which may be employed in other capacities wherein circulationdownwardly through the tubing is desirable.

. Anotherobject is to provide a string of tubingI with a dual valvecontrolled inlet whereby the bore of the lower end of the upper portionis adapted to be opened for the entrance of pressure uid from below, andsubsequently automatically closed when the tubing is raised for removalfrom. the well thus entrapping the fluid therein.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my invention with the parts as positionedfor lowering into the well;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device as shown in Fis. 1:

iig. 3 is a broken sectional view of the upper part of the embodiment ofFig. 1 with the parts as positioned during operation; 1

Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, of a modiiied form of mydevice; Y,

Fig. 5 isa broken sectional view of anothe form of the upper portion ofthe embodiments of Figs. 1 and 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view of the upper part of a modification ofeither the structure of Fig. 1 or Fig. 4, particularly adapted for useas a formation tester.

The present improvement consists generally of a ow line made up of twosections of tubing string A and B, respectively (see Fig. 2) having atelescopic connection therebetween, incorporating composite valve meansfor maintaining a fluid the bore of the tubing closed to pressure in thethe parts of said connection to create a passage valve means.Communication between the tubing sections A and B is maintained whilethe device is in use and until it is desired to withdraw the tubing fromthe well, whereupon elevation of the tubing automatically closesv thevalve means, and, in accordance with specic embodiments hereinafter indetail described, either entraps the fluid in the tubing for subsequentex` amination, or permits drainage of the uid from the tubing through avalve provided therefor.

Referring to thedrawings in detail, the nu-A merels of which indicatesimilar parts throughout the several views, 1 designates a tubing stringextending upwardly to the well surface within a casing (not shown). Tothe lower end of the tubing is threaded a pipe 8 comprising av hollowstem 9 and a diametrically enlarged lower portion I having a peripheralilange II on its bottom end. Stem 8 and enlarged portion* I0 of the pipe8 are provided with lateral ports I2 and I3, respectively, for purposehereinafter described. A sleeve valve I4 slidably encircles stem 8 andnormally bears against a shoulder I5 formed on the periphery of pipe 8by the enlargement comprising the lower portion I 0 so as to close portsI2. A spring I6 encircles stem 9 between valve I4 and a peripheralflange I1 adjacent the upper end of the pipe to normally urge the valvetoward the closed position just described. The bore of pipe 8 isnormally closed to pressure therebelow by a poppet type valve I8 adaptedto seat on the internal shoulder I9 formed by the difference in diameterAof the bores of stem 9 land portion I8. Valve I8 is secured to theupper end of a valve stem 20, which extends slidably through the hub 2|of'a spider 22 secured in the lower end of the bore loi pipe 8. Ahelical spring 23 encircles valve stem 20 to urge valve I8 to closedposition. v A barrel 24, forming a part of tubing section B of the iiowline which comprises tubing sections A and B, is adapted totelescopically receive the lower end of pipe 8 and has an upper end ofsmaller diameter than the outer periphery of lilange II, whereby thebarrel will be suspended, by engagement wtih said flange II, from pipe 8for lowering in the well; said pipe being movable telescopically intobarrel 24 when said barrel is supported in the casing as hereinafternoted.-

The barrel 24 is thus adapted to telescopically receive the lower end ofpipe 8 but relative rotary movement is limited by pins 25 comprisingscrews mounted on the opposite sides of the lower end of the pipe 8.`Pins25 extend into slots 26 cut through opposite sides of barrel 24.The bight of the respective slots isdisposed in the upper end of thebarrel so as to lock the pins in the slots with thev barrel in .itslowermost position with respect to the pipe. A shell 21 tightly inLcloses barrel 24 to make the wallspf the latter fluid tight. The upperrim of the barrel is beve'lled to form a valve seat 28 for acomplementary surface 28 on the lower rim of sleeve valve I4 which isadapted to contact seat 28 when the stem of pipe 3 is telescoped intothe bore of barrel 24; valve I4 being closed `when the pipe and barrelare locked in extended relation.

A lower tubing section 30 is connected to the bottom of barrel 24 toform an extension thereof by means of a hollow valve bushingI 3ithreaded into the lower end of the barrel. )A packer body encirclestubing section 30 and is held conpurposes.

`.estrarre centric therewith by a hub 33 of a spider 34 integral with avalve seat member 35 threaded to the upper end of packerbody 32 throughwhich the tubing 30 slidably extends. 0n the lower end of packer body32, a collar 38 is threaded which carries' a spider 31 in its Iborehaving a hub 38 through which the tubing section reciprocably extends.

A coupling 39 is threaded to the tubing section 30 below the spider 31for support of body 32 while lowering or withdrawing the device from thewell. A swinging anchor (not shown) may be threaded into coupling 39, ifdesired, for obvious The upper rim of member 35 is bevelled to form aseat 40 on which valve bushing 3I is adapted to bear to eiect theclosure of the bore of the packer body as later described.

A slip extending element 4I comprising an inverted conicalmemberslidably encircles the packer body 32 below and spaced from themember 35. Between the member and expanding element a packer 42 of thehook wall type. composed of rubber or the like, is disposed, having itsupper and lower edges mortised -with the member and expanding element,respectively. Conventional slip mechanism is mounted on the packer bodycomprising a sleeve43 having a series of slips 44 secured thereto bymeans of respective Shanks 45, said slips 44 being expansible outwardlyupon downward movement of the expanding element 4I therebetween.v .Thesleeve l43 and slips 44 are locked in a lower position with respect tothe expanding element by the engagement of a pair of gudgeons 46 withsuitable hooks 41 integral with the lower end of the sleeve. To enablecontrol of the rotary movement of the body 32 for effectingdisengagement of the gudgeons 4B and A hooks 41, the hub 38 of thespider 31 is keyed to the tubing 30 as at 48. The bights of the slots 26and the hooks 41 extend in the same direction to cause upon rotation ofthe tubing the release of the slips and the unlatching for telescopicmovement of the pipes and barrel 24 simultaneously or successively. Aplurality of bowed spring members 49 are secured to sleeve i 43, theiropposite ends being unattached but bearing slidably in individualguiding grooves 50 formed in the sleeve for respective spring members.The springs 49 are thus free to bow outward and frctionally engage thecasing to resist rotation of the sleeve when it is desired that 'theslips be released by rotation of the tubing counterclockwise direction.

It will `be noted that 'due to the frictional contact of the springmembers with the casing, the' barrel may not freely gravitate with thetubing string., but may require that the bushing 3| be lowered againstits seat 48 and the barrel pushed through the casing to the desiredlocation in the well. Tocounteract this tendency and insure minimumrestriction of the bore of the casing by tion 30 between an annularflange 52 integral therewith and the hub 38 of spider 31, whereby itsexpansive force will resist the lowering of the tubing with respect tothe barrel.

The operation of this embodiment of my in- I lvention is brieflydescribed asfollows: 'I'his device is lowered into the casing with theparts as shown vI 2 in response to the pressure of spring I6, poppetvalve I8 closing the bore of the tubing to pressure therebelow, ports I3open, and valve bushing 3| displaced from its seat by the pressure ofspring `inal Y- in Fig. 1, i. e.,'with sleeve valve I4 closing portsstring is raised slightly and turned counterclockwise so as to bring thepins 25 into the vertical portions of their, respective slots 23;continued rotation being operable to move the gudgeons 48 from hooks 41.Sleeve 43 is held stationary by engagement of spring members 43 with thecasing. Continued downward movement of the tubing string urges4 theslips .44 into engagement with the casing, preventing further downwardmovement of the expanding element 4|. The support afforded the expandingelement -will also sus-- tain the weight of the packer body 32. Thevalve bushing 3I is accordingly moved downward with the tubing until itcontacts seat 40, whereupon the barrel 24 will be held in the casingwhile the tubing 'I and pipe 8 continue to move downward, pipe 8telescoping within the barrel 24. The lower rim of the sleeve valve I4will contact seat 23,l thus closing off the passage of the Agas and oilinto the casing from the flow line. Continued downward movement of thetubing string will compress the spring I6 to insure a fluid tight sealat seats 40 and 23, thus conveying the weight of the tubing string tothe barrel and causing the expansion of packer 42 so as to confine allflow of the oiland gas through the tubing string. It will be observedthat the order of operations comprising the ex` pansion of the packer,and the closure of valve 3 land port I3, respectively, relative to eachother, depend upon the strength of springs Il and I with respect to eachother, and with the force required to effect the expansion oi' packer42, which may be varied-in specific embodiments, as desired. Thetelescopic movement of the pipe 3 into the barrel 24-communicates portsI2 and ports I3 around valve I 8 and restricts all the flow fromelevationv of the tubing string disengages the slips 44 facilitatingremoval of the device from the Well. y

Poppet valve I3 may be omitted from either of the embodiments of Figs.1-,3 or Fig. 4, and the bore of pipe 3 between ports I2 and I3 closed bya disc 54 (Fig. 5), welded or otherwise secured in the pipe. yIt will beobvious that in such embodiments the fluid in the well tubing cannotfreely drain out as the device is raised from the well due to theclosure of the ports I2 by sleeve valve I4 when the weight of the tubingon spring I6 is relieved.

, Where it is desired to drain the tubing to expedite the well to thetubing. It `will be noted that the proportion of the weight of thetubing string permitted to rest on spring I 6 will determine theextension of pipe 8 into the barrel 24 and accordingly, the size of theby-pass around the'valve.

Referring to the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 4, valvebushing 3| is omitted and a hollow head 53 is substituted. Head I3 formsan adapter and is threaded into the bore of barrel 24 and directly tothe upper end of packer body 32, being mortised to the tubing hook wallpacker 42. The lower tubing section 30 is threadedinto the bore of head53. While lowering the device of this embodiment into the well foroperation, the upward flow of oil or gas is confined to the tubingsection 30 from which the oil. or gas passes through ports I3 of pipe 8into the casing. The seating of packer 42 incident to the actuation ofslips 44 as above described with reference tothe .embodiments of Figs.1-3, permits pipe 3 to' be telescoped into barrel 24 for closingports I3and open the bore of the tubing while sustaining the removal of theassembly from the hole, the tubing may be raised in a series ofoperations, each time resetting'the slips and exerting downward pressureon spring I6 to bring ports I2 and I3 into communication,

An embodiment hereof provided 1 with disc closure means 54 may be usedwith equal efhcacy as a formation tester, in which case fluid admittedinto the upper tubing section is retained for subsequent examination atthe well surface by the closure of ports I2 simultaneously with thealleviation of the pressure on the packer and spring I6.

For purposes of formationtesting, however, the device may be modified(Fig. 6) by the provision of; a ball valve 55 and a cage 56 secured orin tegrally formed in the bore of pipe 8 above ports I2. Valve 55 isadapted to open to-pressure from below so as to admit into the tubingstring the fluid under pressure to be subsequently tested but to closethe bore to a balance of pressure in the tubing string thereabove.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a device capable of numerousembodiments and adapted; for use primarily in securing maximumutilization of gas pressure in flowing wells which able for u se inobtaining` samples of fluid in the well hole.

When in the following claims I refer to anchoring means" or means foranchoring, I mean mechanism for securing and holding a portion of theflow line at some desired point within the well.

While I have described but a few of the embodiments of my invention, itwill be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes insize, design, proportion and number of the vari vous parts may be made,and that various other well known expedients may be utilized with and/or substituted for the elements of the above specific disclosure-allwithout departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by theappended claims. f

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A circulating valve assembly adapted for use with pipe inan oil wellor the like consisting essentially of two conduit members telescoped andsecured together for limited relative movement longitudinally, saidmembers having means for conducting fluid from end to end thereof whentelescoped together, means for preventing flow of fluid from end to endthereof when extended, means for conducting fluid from the interior tothe exterior thereof or vice versa when tive rotation between saidmembers for controlling relative movement between said memberslongitlldinally.

2. A circulation valve assembly adapted for use with pipe in an oil wallor the like consisting essentially of two conduit members telescoped andsecured together for limited relative movement longitudinally, said,members having means for conducting fluid from end to end thereof whensaid members for controlling relative movement between said memberslongitudinally.

3. In a device for use in a well shaft. a flow line having a packerassociated therewith carrying anchoring means controlled by the flowline and having a passage therethrough communicating the zone of thewell shaft at opposite ends of the packer, valve means to close saidpassage, said flow line having-a port therein opening into the wellshaft, means to close the bore of said line. means to close the port in.said line and communicate the zone of the bore of said line at oppositesides of said last-named means, and resilient means to resist actuationof said last-named means. f

4. In a device of the character described, adapted for use in a well, aflow line comprising relatively telescopic upper and lower portionscarrying anchoring means controlled thereby, said upper portion having abore, means to close said bore to the passage of pressure fluidtherethroughl in either direction, said upper portion having portscommunicating with the well shaft below said closure means, and means toclose the ports and open the bore of said flow line to the passage ofpressure duid therethrough actuated by telescoping said upper and lowerportions.

5. In a device of the character described, a ported iiow line comprisingan upper tubing section and a lower tubing section telescopicallyconnected and carrying means for anchoring the ow line at any desiredlevel in the well, a valve closing the bore of said upper section topressure therebelow, and a valve structure connected in said flow lineand actuated by said sections upon telescopic movement thereof to closethe port and open communication between said sections.

6. A well tester comprising a tubular string adapted to be lowered intoa well to be tested containing drilling fluid, valve means movable toone position to close the lower end of the string, means for forming aseal between the string and the walls of the well bore to exclude thedrilling fluid from the formation to be tested carrying anchoring meanscontrolled by the tubular string, means for actuating the valve meansinto open position to permit the entrance of a sample from saidformation beneath the sealing means, into the string, means for movingvthe valve meansto another position to open the vlower end of the stringto the well bore, above said scali/ng means, to permit the entrance ofdrilling fluid into the string,v and means for moving the Valve means tooriginal position to again close the lower end -of the string to entrapthecontents thereof, there- 7. A well tester comprising `a tubularstring including an upper ltubular member and la lower tubular membertelescopically connected and adapted to be lowered into a well to` betested containing drilling fluid, valve means movable to one position toclose the lower end of the string,

means for forming a seal between the string and the walls of the wellbore to exclude the drilling iiuid from the formation to be tested,means for actuating the valve means into open position to permit theentrance of a sample from said formation beneath the sealing means, intothe string. means for moving the valve means to another position to openthe lower tubular member of the string to the well bore, above saidsealing means, to permit the entrance of drilling fluid into said lowermember, means for moving the valve means to original position to againclose the lower end of the upper tubular member to entrap the contentsthereof, therein, and means operable in response to relative rotation ofsaid members for controlling relative movement between said memberslongitudinally. u

8. A circulating valve assembly adapted for use with a pipe in an oilwell or the like consisting essentially of two conduit memberstelescoped together for limited relative movement longitudinally andcarrying anchoring means controlled by said pipe, said members havingmeans for conducting iiuid from end to end thereof when telescopedtogether, means for preventing iow of fluid from end to endlthereof whenextended, and means for controlling relative movement between saidmembers longitudinally.

9. In a device for use in a well shaft, a flow line comprising a pair oftelescopic sections'l a packer' associated with said now line carryinganchoring means, means to communicate the flow line above the packerwith the zone of the well shaft above the packer, and means operable bytelescopic movement of said sections to close oil.' said last-namedmeans of communication and open the iiow line for communication of thearea oi.'v the well shaft below said packer with the well surface.

10. In a device of the character described, a string of tubingcomprising relatively telescopic upper and lower portions of the string,means for anchoring the lower portion at any desired level in a wellbore, means for connecting said portions together for limited relativelongitudinal movement, and a single valve associated with said portionsto control, selectively, communication of the lowermost of said portionswith the well shaft, and with the bore of-the upper portion.

11. A circulating valve assembly for use with pipe in an oil well or thevlike consisting essential- 1y of two conduit members one superposedrelative to the other and telescoped together for limited relativemovement, said upper and lower members forming, respectively, a valveand seat providing means for conducting iiuid from end to end when saidmembers are telescoped togethen-andl means for preventing flow of fluidfrom end to end when said members are extended, and means for conductingiiuidl from the inv 12. In a device of the character described dis-vposed in a well shaft, a ow'line comprising relatively telescopic upperand lowerportions thereof, avalve closing the bore of said upper portionfrom communication with said lower portion, said lower portion having apacker mounted thereon carrying anchoring means controlled by the flowline,y a passagewaythrough said lower portion of the flow. line andthrough the packer exterior of said lower portion to communicate thearea of the well shaft'above and below said packer, valve means actuatedby the relative movement lof said portions of the flow lline and themovement thereof relative to the packer when cured together for limitedrelative movement lonanchored in the well shaft for closing saidpassageways and opening the. bore of the ow line to the passage ofpressure fluid upwardly therethrough.

13. A circulating valve assembly adapted for 6 use with a. pipe in anoil well or the like consisting essentially of two conduit members, onesuperposed relative to the other, telescoped and se-

